The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-05-11

for defamation of the highest order,
but his themes were as well adapted to
1t as those of Demosthenes himself" !"
Mr.. Webster's idea of him was thus ex-
pressed: "The eloquence of Mr.. Cal
houn or the manner of his exhibition of
his sentiments in public, was part of his
intellectual character. 1t grew out of
the qualities of his mind. 1t was plain,
sometimes impassioned, yet always Sc
vere."
| have given these descriptions by
others of Mr. Calhoun's style, because l
feel unable to characterize it in q man.
ner satisfactory to my own mind. l do
not think elevation of language, terse,
condensed expression, force of logic,
soaring imagination, earnest feeling and
impassioned defamation adequately ex-
press all its qualities. | have thought
that his eloquence was due more to the
simple majesty of his thoughts than to
the diction in which they were clothed,
or the logical process by which they were
presented. The chief quality of his
style seems to be that of giving true
impression of profound and elevated
mind, communicating its thoughts and
feelings to the minds of others in words
plain and clear. and sentences sim pie
and natural. There is between the hu-
man mind and truth a perfect CORE
spondence; il was created for truth as
its object, and when brought into con-
tact with it, the mind, by the very law
of its being, instinctively and intuitively
embraces truth with credence and faith,
unless prejudice or passion, or some
other agency, interposes between the
two and leads it away. Now, Mr.. Cal
houn's style, think, had this great
merit among those mentioned, that it
brought before the minds of men the
pure, unsophisticated truth of his
thought as it existed in his own mind.
When, therefore, he spoke, those who
listened to him were brought into COM
munion direct with his own thoughts,
splendid conceptions, prophetic fore
sight, moral grandeur, and soul-kin-
ding passion; and they would feel their
own minds strengthened, enriched,
enlarged, and ennObIed by the con-
tact with his intellectual and moral ma
ture.
Ladies of the South Carolina Associa-
ton, have attempted to respond to the
call with which your kindness aas hon
ored me. l regret deeply that absorbing
duties of an official character, leaving
me not even the intermission of a lay
of freedom, have allowed no opportu-
nIty to prepare for the performance of a
task in a manner worthy OF the theme
and of the occasion. 1t is we'll that this
monumental statue on South Carolina 5
soil has been reared through the instru-
mentality of her own fair daughters.
His life was one uninterrupted homage
to woman.
Mr.. Calhoun was the true son of South
Carolina. His just fame and great
name were the fruits of her social sys-
tenn, and it will be her glory when sue
ceeding generations shall learn and ap-
preciate the lessons of political truth
taught by him, and shall inhale his pure
spirit of patriotism, his exalted concep-
tion of duty, and become inspired by
the honor, fidelity, courage and purity
of life which rooted themselves in the
soul of the man whose statue South Car
olina women have erected in commemo-
ration of the affectionate reverence with
which they commend him to the
honor, love, imitation and confidence OF
mankind.